A place to call home
by Nachtrae
Summary: An old vampire joins the Dark Brotherhood out of curiosity and boredom. However, a threat he is all to familiar with is stirring its head once more. Will he care enough to do what is necessary?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Oblivion or any of the related characters. I wish I did though. Awesome game :3 Anyways, the only thing I own here is Kamui….and that's not really something to be proud of, considering he's an asshole.**

_A/N: Hewwo there people! First fanfiction here and it's about that wonderful game called Oblivion. It's recommended (read, recommended, not required) that you've played the game or at least have some prior knowledge to it. To those that haven't even heard of the game, I say GET IT and PLAY IT! It's a great game really. Well, have fun reading!_

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Prologue:

A tall, lone figure stood with his back towards several white marble steps leading up to an equally white archway with closed doors. Hills rose up behind the seemingly small structure and large pine trees obscured parts of the winged statue standing on top of the Ayleid ruin. Despite the ruin's obvious age the structure and the curved path leading towards it still had something majestic and beautiful. Especially in the fading moon and star light which made the white marble seem to glow gently. This beauty however, was completely ignored by the man, for it was not the reason he had come out here. Nor were the rumors of vast riches hidden within ruins like Lipsand Tarn, the reason. He had enough gold to live through several generations even if he'd spend everything like a madman.

No, his reason were the vampires that had once lived inside the ruin. Banding together, half crazed from their thirst for blood, attacking everyone and everything that came near them. No longer would they defile the soil they walk upon, he had made sure of that. Some might think of complimenting Kamui for ridding Cyrodiil of them, claim that he was a good man, a defender of the weak. Possibly a hero. Kamui would snort at this if he even bothered to reply to a statement as ridiculous as that. Heroes did what they did for the greater good. They always kept the safety of others above that of their own. His reason for slaying the vampires, his kinsmen, was much more complicated while at the same time much simpler. He was disgusted at the mere presence of such lowly bloodsuckers one could hardly call a vampire. Believing themselves to be far above the mortal beings that inhabited Tamriel and all the while spreading like the vermin they really are. From a cursed, but powerful race to nothing more than a hated disease. Kamui had seen the fall of the vampire race and he hated it, just as he hated those responsible. So he had passed his judgment.

Slowly, Kamui inhaled the cold air around him, allowing it to refresh him. The nights were getting colder and longer again. Frostfall. An appropriate name for a month close to winter. He let his breath escape which formed a small cloud in front of him before the barely noticeable wind carried it away. For a moment the vampire followed it with his ruby colored eyes before he turned his gaze to the east. Sunrise was not far off anymore. Already he could feel the strength the night granted him, fade away like the light of the stars did in the morning sun. Almost absent mindedly he raised a hand and licked some drying blood of his fingers. The horrible taste made him flinch and instead of licking the rest off, he pulled a small piece of red colored cloth from one of his pockets and wiped his fingers clean. From the stains on the cloth, it was fairly obvious that it had been used that way more than once.

Putting the cloth back in his pocket, Kamui turned around and entered the ruin. The door closed behind him, blocking whatever light could come from outside. His eyes adjusted to the lack of light as he descended the stairs leading towards the underground hallways and rooms. Reaching the hallway, he avoided the nasty trap ahead of him and made his way into a very large chamber. Welkynd stones and glowing crystals collected in a chandelier, illuminated large parts of the room with a soft bluish light. How long they would continue to glow for those who did not need it, he did not know. If what he had already seen of these crystals would continue, it would likely be forever. Or until the support columns could no longer carry the ceiling and ground above, resulting in everything coming down. The vampire caught himself looking up warily towards the ceiling at the idle thought and shook his head in mild irritation.

"If I start doing things like that, I'll pretty soon end up losing my mind and seeing ghosts while there are none, " he muttered to himself.

With a shrug he walked to his makeshift bed which consisted of little more than a large piece of a broken pillar with his bedroll spread out over it. It almost made him want to travel south to Chorrol, just to sleep in a decent bed. They were a good second choice for he still preferred his coffin. Carrying it around all the time was simply too much of a hassle though. Deciding that the things he didn't have right now weren't worth complaining about, the vampire made himself comfortable. With the rising of the sun it didn't take him long to slip off into a slumber, just deep enough to rest while being at least somewhat aware of his surroundings.

-0-o-0-o-0-

An approaching presence at the edge of his senses pulled Kamui from his light sleep. He remained motionless as the presence got closer. It wasn't one of the vampires from the ruin that had managed to hide himself, so it had to be someone that had just entered. An adventurer would be his first guess, if it wasn't for the scent of blood and an odd chill within the presence. A scowl crossed his face when the stranger kept getting closer, instead of leaving the vampire alone. It was like he deliberately made his way towards him.

"One step closer and I'll make sure you won't take another one ever again."

Lucien Lachance raised an eyebrow at the threat. He had assumed that the man had been vast asleep. Not wanting to make an enemy out of a possible family member, the Speaker stopped and observed the murderer in front of him as the man pushed himself up to a sitting position. The man was tall and appeared to be somewhere in his mid twenties. His body seemed to be build for stealth and speed rather than brute force. Something he could appreciate, for it was a good thing for an assassin.

Lucien tensed a little when blood red eyes opened and fixed themselves on him. He hadn't been informed that the man was a vampire. No. It shouldn't matter. There were more vampires within the Dark Brotherhood. He forced himself to calm down and opened his mouth to speak, but the vampire interrupted him.

"I do not enjoy being woken from my slumber, human. What is your business with me?" The vampire narrowed his eyes. "If it is my head you seek, you will find it hard to take."

"I have come here with nothing more but a proposition for you, dear child. My name is Lucien Lachance and I come to you as a speaker of the Dark Brotherhood. My voice is the will of the Night Mother. She-"

Lucien paused, frowning at the look of utter boredom and annoyance that flashed over the man's face.

"She's been watching me as I take lives without a care in the world and that pleases her greatly, which is why you are here, keeping me from doing what every self respecting vampire does during the day. Rest."

Kamui squeezed the bridge of his nose and sighed. He didn't even have to ask if he was right or not. He knew he was without a doubt.

"The answer is, no. I'm not interested in joining your so called family. Run back home to your mommy and buy her a diary while on the way. Perhaps then she will be able to keep track of those who have refused on more than one occasion."

A smirk curled his lips as he watched the speaker struggle to keep the surprise and anger from showing on his face. He did in fact do a commendable job at it. If it wasn't for the tightly clenched fists and the shaking of his body, he might've been able to fool the vampire. Such discipline. How much effort would it take to break through that to reveal what laid within? That could be quite…..enjoyable and since he was awake anyways, Kamui decided to amuse himself a little with the speaker. Pushing himself up he calmly walked towards the robed human, his voice laced with faked compassion.

"Don't look so surprised. I should be the one to be surprised. To think that someone could forget something so important, not once but twice. Her memory probably isn't what it used to be. It must be so hard on you, your brothers and your sisters to fulfill her every whim, or perhaps the fault isn't really with the mother after all."

Standing right in front of Lucien, Kamui lowered himself just a bit so he could whisper directly in the speaker's ear just to tick him off a little more. Being so close, he could almost taste the fury coming from the Speaker.

"Perhaps the fault lies with the father. I don't think they are together right now, am I right? He must've been so sick of you all that he just decided to leave. Or was he simply a heartless bastard, who didn't give a damn about his children? He didn't do bad things to you and your siblings now did he? You can tell uncle Kamui. He won't make fun of you like your friends do. Big bad daddy just couldn't help it really. He just couldn't get any woman other than a certain little wh-."

"ENOUGH!"

Lucien's outburst and a sharp sting of pain between his ribs cut him off. Genuinely surprised, the vampire looked down at his chest. The hilt of a silver dagger was pressed against his shirt, its blade buried deeply between his ribs and piercing his heart.

"Enough," Lucien repeated, much calmer and softer this time. His voice was almost gentle, though his eyes were dark and burning with hatred. "I will not stand for any insults directed to the Night Mother or the dread father, Sithis, to be spoken in my presence. Not without punishment."

To emphasize his words, the speaker twisted the silver dagger and forced it even deeper, earning him a grunt of pain from the vampire. Far from satisfied, Lucien twisted the dagger again and then pushed the undead, who wouldn't be so undead anymore pretty soon, away from him. Without another glance at the assumingly dying vampire, he turned around and started walking away with large strides, his black robes swishing around him.

Kamui staggered back, raising a hand to the weapon imbedded in his chest before he sank to the ground. He had not expected that. For as long as he had lived, he had always sensed an intent to kill come from humans and alike before they struck. He had been waiting for that intent, but it hadn't surfaced at all. Not even for a split second. How very….intriguing. Another groan of pain escaped him as he shifted his weight. Even if it didn't kill him, the silver blade hurt like hell. Gritting his teeth, the vampire ripped the weapon from his chest in one fluid motion. He tossed it away from him instantly and pressed his hand against the gaping hole in his chest. With a little trouble thanks to the pain that still seared through his body, he forced himself to stand.

"That surprised me."

Lucien froze when the voice reached him. That vampire was supposed to have been pulled to the Void already or at least struggling to hold onto the last threads of his worthless life. Talking should be out of the question. The speaker turned around slowly, wary of what he would find. A gasp of surprise almost escaped him at the sight before him. The undead was standing, the blade removed from his body. He was a little wobbly and buckled slightly with his head hanging down and though it was clear that the vampire was in pain, he was most definitely not dying. A cold shiver ran down his spine when Kamui raised his head. It wasn't so much the maniacal grin that caused the chill but the look in those glowing red eyes. They seemed to reflect true insanity and a thirst to maim everything in his way simply for his own enjoyment. Then the look disappeared so suddenly that Lucien doubted his own eyes.

"By Sithis.…How?"

Kamui blinked at the simple question and a smug grin curled the corners of his lips, clearly amused at the horror in the assassin's eyes.

"You look like you're about to piss your robes. And here I thought you all were heartless people, capable of killing in cold blood for nothing but a little spare change and the chance to shed some blood." A light chuckle escaped him, soon followed by uncontrolled coughing. He spat blood on the ground and cursed, nails digging in the fabric of his shirt just above the wound.

"Blasted. Why'd you have to use silver of all metals?" the vampire muttered with a groan. Ignoring the searing pain, Kamui straightened himself and lowered his hand. Though the wound still bled, it was clearly mending itself already.

"It has been a long while since anyone managed to get a stab at me without me expecting it. I could probably count the successful attempts on the fingers of one hand if I'd bother taking the time recalling those events."

To emphasize his words, he lifted his right hand, fingers extended. Then he closed his hand to a fist. Only his index finger remained stretched out. This he pointed at the speaker in front of him.

"And you, Mr. Lachance, are the first _human_ that managed to do just that."

Lucien hadn't moved an inch since turning to face the vampire again. His brain was still trying to grasp what was happening. The fact that this vampire was still alive was just…..not natural. He had killed vampires before and knew from experience that stabbing their heart killed them like it would any other living being. Was this creature in front of him immortal or something? No, that couldn't be. He simply refused to accept that such a thing was possible. But what other explanation was able to explain this? The way the vampire acted it didn't seem to be his first time to be stabbed in the heart. The first human to catch him off guard. The speaker wasn't so sure he was happy with that. If he were to be caught off guard by anyone, he'd make sure that that person would never be able to tell the tale.

"If I'm the first man to catch you off guard, then you probably never faced a true assassin," the speaker countered the vampire's words with more confidence than he actually felt. He half expected the vampire to kill him then and was surprised at his reply and the curiosity in those feral red eyes.

"Perhaps." Kamui cocked his head to the side as he crossed his arms. He could almost taste the anxiety coming from Lucien, but there was little to no fear. Truly commendable. And very interesting. He found himself wondering just how much more the assassin could show him. Were the possibilities worth working for?

"It wouldn't be the first time I underestimated you mortals." The words were spoken softly and more to himself than the speaker. "Very well," he suddenly said out loud with a clasp of his hands. "You have managed to peak my interest, both in you and your Brotherhood. What do I have to do in order to join? I imagine there is some sort of initiation test?"

Lucien stared at the vampire like he'd just said he was his mother. From declining he'd gone to outright insulting the Dark Brotherhood and now he suddenly wished to join after all? He felt an incredible urge to tell the undead to walk to the void. The mere thought of having this guy in the Brotherhood gave him an incredible headache.

"I believe I heard you decline my offer and greatly insult both the Night Mother and Sithis."

"Really? I remember no such thing. I think you may be confusing me with someone else"

Lucien squeezed the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh. The smirk on the vampire's face showed that he could keep this up for a long time now that he was set on his decision, whereas he himself had other things to tend to.

"Fine, play it that way if you like. On the green road, north of Bravil lies the Inn of Ill Omen. There you will find a man named 'Rufio'. Kill him and your initiation in the Dark Brotherhood will be complete. Do this and the next time you sleep in a location I deem secure, I will reveal myself to you once more, bearing the love of your new family."

"Any specific way you want me to kill him, or can I just do what I want?" Kamui asked as he laid down on his bed.

"Rufio is old and weak and likely sleeps his days away. You could kill him before he even has a chance to wake up, if you so choose."

"I'll take that as a 'do whatever you want'. Anything else? If not I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd leave and let me rest until nightfall."

Lucien's eye twitched a little at the casual dismissal. This man truly needed a few manner lessons. He would make sure to mention this to Ocheeva if the vampire did in fact decide to kill Rufio. "I have here, a virgin blade. A token from the Dark Brotherhood. May it…serve you well." He dropped the weapon on the ground unceremoniously, not surprised that the dagger never touched the ground but instead floated towards the vampire.

"I bid you farewell."

He received no answer, as he expected. Turning around, he made his way out of the ruins and stepped towards Shadowmere. He really felt the need to kill something right about now.

Back in the ruin, two glowing red orbs gazed up at the ceiling. "A family, huh?" Kamui mused to himself, the blade of woe twirling between his fingers. He stopped the dagger's fluid movements and dropped it next to his longsword on the ground. The movement caused him to wince in pain as the wound in his chest made itself a little more clear than necessary.

"Ridiculous." The words were spoken softly, barely audible, as Kamui closed his eyes. He had a long travel ahead of him and a wound to heal.

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_A/N: A little note about Kamui. You can kinda compare him to a vampire from the Hellsing universe with some twists of my own mind. Hellsing be an awesome anime/manga. I will reveal Kamui's origins later in the story. Other vampires will remain true to the Oblivion universe, though I consider them somewhat..wimpy, but at least they don't sparkle. O_o. Anyways, continue on to chapter 1!_


	2. Chapter 1  A knife in the Dark

**Disclaimer: I don't own Oblivion, any related characters or familiar dialogue. I only own my little Kamui ^-^**

_A/N: So here's the first chapter people ^-^. Off to the inn of Ill Omen and towards Rufio's end! Read and review please! Compliments are loved big time, as will constructive criticism. Flaming though….not so much._

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Chapter 1: A knife in the dark

Manheim Maulhand, owner of the Inn of Ill omen, lifted his head in surprise when the only entrance to his inn opened. A gust of cold wind immediately howled through the small reception area. The heavy rain accompanying the wind quickly soaked the wooden floor close to the entrance. A tall, cloaked figure quickly slipped through the opened door and slammed it shut behind him. Immediately the room fell silent again aside from the constant drumming noise the rain made against the walls and the gentle crackle of fire in the mantelpiece. The stranger leaned against the closed door to catch his breath momentarily. He'd probably ran as fast as possible when he'd seen the inn.

"Well I'll be a spotted snow bear, a customer!" he muttered to himself and pushed himself up from his chair.

The stranger lifted his head when the words reached him and waved his hand a little, asking the owner of the inn to give him a moment. Gradually, the heavy heaving of the man's chest evened out. After a few minutes, the man pushed himself from the door and lowered the hood that had covered his face. A young, slender face with high cheekbones and very far from ugly was revealed. The beauty was almost feminine. Women probably swooned all over him in towns, married or not. Deep brown eyes were filled with annoyance as the traveler attempted to shake the rainwater from his dark hair. Apparently, his cloak hadn't been nearly enough to shield him from the rain that came pouring down mercilessly. With a sigh the man ceased his attempts to rid his hair of water and walked towards a chair close to the counter. Small puddles of water were left in his wake, a result from his soaked cloak.

"You can leave your cloak to dry at the fire if you want," Manheim offered his potential customer. "We also got plenty of rooms should you want to spent the night here. Ain't nobody staying here these days 'cept old Rufio."

The nord thought he could see the stranger narrow his eyes a little at the mention of the old man staying downstairs in the 'private quarters'. He didn't say anything though. The stranger glanced at the fire and stood up. He returned a moment later after hanging his cloak over the back of a chair close to the fire. Manheim eyed the longsword that was now no longer hidden by the thick fabric with a raised eyebrow. The man was an adventurer? It must be nice to be so young and free to follow a path only you could see.

"You said something about a room?"

The deep, cultivated voice of his potential customer brought the nord back to business.

"Yeah. As I said, there are plenty to choose from. Don't get many visitors like yourself. I guess it's the name as it's truly a horrible name for an Inn right? I just can't bring myself to change it. Besides, I like the sign."

"So, I can pick whatever room I want, aside from one? Where does this…Rufio, stay? Don't want to accidentally wake him up of course and get accusations thrown at my head."

"Oh, don't worry 'bout that. Old Rufio stays downstairs in what I like to call the Private Quarters. He's been living here for a couple of weeks now. If you ask me, he's hiding from something. But what do I care. He pays his tab. Oh and the room upstairs on the right is taken by Minerva. Sweet girl really."

A gentle smile appeared on the stranger's face and he reached for the pouch that contained his money. "Considering the size of this inn, I think that will really limit my choices doesn't it," he chuckled a little at this before continuing. "but it's not like I'll need more than 1 room. How much?"

"Only ten gold a night. The rooms are small but nice enough. You can find them upstairs."

Manheim happily took the gold pieces handed to him by the young man and stored them away as his customer went upstairs for his room. Maybe things were going to be looking up now that someone had found his inn. He really needed business to improve. If it didn't he'd probably have to close up and go to town for work.

"Well, you didn't lie when you said the room was small. But at least it's clean and I've slept in worse places."

Turning his head, Manheim looked at his customer and laughed. "It serves its purpose and that's all it needs to do right? It's dry and no one here will try to slice your throat while you're sleeping."

"I sure hope not!" the stranger answered with a laugh.

The two spent a while just talking to each other while the young man drank some beer to warm himself a bit after the cold rain outside. Manheim enjoyed listening to the stories the man told him about his own adventures. The caves he'd found, the ruins he'd explored. He'd even been in one of those old, trap filled Aylied ruins and had a Welkynd stone to prove it. It was well past midnight before the man, who had introduced himself as Kamui, got up from his seat and bid him a good night. The nord yawned as he watched the man stumble up the stairs, somewhat intoxicated from the beer and wine. Deciding it was time for him to call it a night as well, he spread his bedroll behind the counter and closed his eyes.

-0-o-0-o-0-

As soon as the door closed behind Kamui, all signs of intoxication and fatigue left him. His deceiving brown eyes scanned the ridiculously small room he stood in. It only contained a single bedroll. No chair, no chest to store his items should he feel the need to, nothing. Even caves tended to have more luxury, mainly because bandits used them as hideouts. The vampire shook his head and sighed. If he had been here solely to get a rest, he would've left to find a different inn. Dropping his sword next to the bed, he sat down and leaned against the wooden wall. It had taken him about a week to reach the inn on foot. He had no horse to speed his travels up, nor did he feel like getting one. Horses seemed to sense his predatory nature and as a result, panicked if he got to close. The only way he'd be able to ride one was if he'd continuously fool their minds. Far too much trouble in his book, especially since he was quite capable of running faster than any living horse if he felt like it.

Lifting a hand, Kamui rested it against his chest. Though healed, the wound still stung a bit due to a lack of rest he'd given himself during the day. A minor annoyance. Nothing a good sleep during the day and some fresh, preferably maiden, blood could fix. For a moment he toyed with the idea of simply draining Rufio. It would definitely kill the man. The vampire shook his head, dismissing the idea. The blood of the elderly wasn't to his tastes. Simply slicing the man's throat was out of the question as well. He had gone through the trouble of getting the innkeeper's trust. Making Rufio's death look like the murder it was would be a waste of that effort. Poison was likely his best option. Something that stopped the heart. Pushing himself off the wall, he took a, seemingly small, pouch from his belt and opened it. The vampire put a few unmarked glass vials on the ground and after closing the pouch, he examined the contents of each vial. He finally settled on one that killed relatively quick while also paralyzing the victim while it still lived. It was a definite plus that it would require a very skilled restoration mage or alchemist to find traces of the poison.

After placing the unnecessary vials back in the pouch, Kamui pushed himself up from the bed. He closed his eyes momentarily and focused his senses. The inn was completely silent aside from the deep breaths of the sleeping and their heartbeat and the rain pouring down on the roof and walls outside. They were all vast asleep. Deciding that now was as good a time as any to make his move, the vampire left his room and closed the door behind him. Without making a single sound, he made his way to the hatch leading to the private quarters. He was quite pleased to find it without a lock. It made things easier. He cast a glance at the sleeping form of Manheim and slipped through the hatch. The hatch closed above him with nothing but a soft click.

The first room Kamui found was locked tightly. Since there were no life signs within, he left it that way. He was no lowly thief. He continued down the short hallway until he reached the second and last door. Unlike the previous one, there was a sign of life here. A light smirk appeared on his face as he tried the door. It wasn't locked. Silent as a shadow he entered the room. His eyes instantly fell on the sleeping form of his mark. Rufio. With the grace of a confident predator he approached the bed. The old man stirred a little in his sleep as the vampire loomed over him. A primal instinct from the human forced the man to wake up just as Kamui placed a strong hand over the Rufio's mouth. The vampire stared the man in his eyes and leered. He could practically taste the fear coming from him and the swift beating of his heart filled his ears. Being so close he could even hear the rushing of the man's blood. His brown eyes lost their deceptive color and flared up red, causing Rufio to cry out though it was muffled by the hand over his mouth.

"Shhhh," he hushed the old man gently. "Let's not make this any worse than it already is shall we?"

Slowly he lifted his hand a little, allowing Rufio to speak. Or rather, to allow himself to feed the man the poison which he was holding in his other hand.

"W-Who are you? What do you want? I ain't done nothin'!"

Kamui glanced at the man as he opened the small vial. Rufio was rather talkative considering the situation he was in.

"Oh, but you have Rufio. You know you have," he said, using the same gentle tone he had used to shush the man.

"No! Please! I didn't mean to do it, you understand me? She struggled! I…I told her to just stay still, but she wouldn't listen! I had no choice!" Rufio answered frantically before he suddenly jumped up and pushed the vampire to the side. As his assaulter stumbled a little he took his chance and tried fleeing towards the door.

Somewhat surprised by the sudden attempt to flee, Kamui stepped back to balance himself. So he still had some fight left? Before Rufio even reached the door towards the hallway, he'd caught up and wrapped a powerful arm around the human's neck. He completely ignored Rufio's useless struggling and pressed the opening of the vial against his mouth. Ruthlessly he closed the old man's nose and mouth after emptying the vial's content in his mouth. The vampire held him there until he felt the human swallow in an uncontrolled reflex. At that moment he eased his grip and put the empty vial back in its pouch. The poison would do its work quickly. He had but to wait.

A mere moment later Rufio's struggles became less violent and his body started shaking. Knowing what was to come, Kamui roughly closed the man's mouth. Though it killed quickly, the poison didn't do so without pain. A lot of pain. Then the man started trashing wildly, eyes bulging from the pain he was experiencing. The vampire held his victim in a strong hold. It would still be another minute or so until the poison killed the man. A curse escaped him when Rufio bit down on his gloved hand and he had to refrain himself from smashing the man's head against the walls. That would be a little to…messy. He almost sighed in relief when the paralysis effect started to work its magic. Had that taken any longer Rufio could've injured himself and that would totally ruin all of his efforts to make it look like simple heart failure. Restoration was not exactly something he excelled at. Kamui lifted the now limp body up with ease and carried him to the bed. There he laid Rufio down in a comfortable position like he'd just been sleeping. The only thing that revealed his pain were the man's eyes. He put the blanket over his victim and waited for the poison the finish.

Kamui pulled his hand back after checking Rufio's pulse to confirm his death. Perhaps it hadn't been truly necessary since he could no longer hear a heartbeat, but he simply wished to be certain. He watched the body and found himself scowling. There wasn't really a way back anymore. Now he was part of the Dark Brotherhood. There was little doubt in his mind that he would have to start at the very bottom. Obviously that meant he had superiors. If there was one thing he found hard to stomach, it was following someone's orders. In the past he had been under numerous superiors but that had been while acting like someone to amuse himself. That had been more or less voluntary. The vampire shook his head. What had he gotten himself into?

"Guess I just have to hope for the best and decide whether things are good or bad when I meet them."

Kamui turned around and headed back to his room as silent as he had been before. It was still several hours before sunrise. Hours which he would be wasting in his…room, while waiting for Manheim to wake up. He would leave the inn during the early afternoon, though he wasn't really looking forward to walking under the sun.

-0-o-0-o-0-

With the hood of his cloak pulled deeply over his head, Kamui stepped through the long grass towards the northeast, cursing his terrible luck. He had left the inn roughly an hour ago and unlike the day before when the rain had been pouring down until even the slaughterfish would find it difficult to distinguish land from water, it was now bright and sunny. The worst. The mere presence of the sun drained him of a great deal of strength. Even more so with his lack of feeding lately. With the sun actually shining brightly, one could call him practically blind while the sun was on its highest. He blinked in an attempt to clear the spots obscuring his sight. Nothing but hazy shades and blurry colors. Very bright colors that were doing nothing but give him incredible headaches. And blind him of course. The vampire spat out a few, rather colorful words, as he pulled his hood deeper over his eyes in an attempt to shadow them. It was a good thing he didn't really have to rely on his eyes to get around. The Brotherhood better be worth all of this trouble.

Pausing on the top of a hill, he listened to his surroundings. Aside from the usual singing of the birds, the rustling of the tree leaves in the wind and the swift footsteps of various types of wildlife, Kamui could just hear the subtle sound of running water. He was getting closer to the Upper Niben and the large bridge running across it. He had no intentions of crossing the bridge just yet. That could wait until nightfall. His goal right now was Fort Alessia. It used to be a nice fortress, strong and sturdy. Now, it was hardly anything more but a pile of rubble used as a robber's den. Like most ruins in Cyrodiil. Well, if they wouldn't bother him, he'd leave them alone. Well, maybe. He really had to feed. A scowl marred his features as he continued walking. If it was about blood, he was a really picky vampire, unless he had no other choice. Kamui lightly scratched his chin as he considered the pros and cons of draining one of the bandits, dry. Sure he wouldn't be plagued by his thirst so much for a few days, but the taste. Just horrible. No, he wasn't _that_ desperate for blood just yet. He'd be patient.

As he had expected, Fort Alessia was inhabited by a small group of bandits. Their scent had filled the entire fortress, but it seemed like they weren't 'home' at the moment. Most likely they were running around right now, tracking down unfortunate travelers and adventurers. With his senses on alert, Kamui carefully descended the stairs. Just because he didn't sense anyone, didn't mean there couldn't be a skilled illusionist hiding within the shadows. Just because he didn't die from it, didn't mean he was going to make a habit of being stabbed through the heart. Especially since it only recently stopped throbbing. Instead it was now itching a little as the last severed nerve ends were being mended by his body. The vampire lightly scratched the slightly irritated skin as he turned left and descended a few more steps. Ahead of him he could see a trip wire at the bottom of some stairs, most likely set up to keep unwanted visitors such as himself from getting further into the fort. The two maces hidden in the shadows at the top of the stairs proved as much. It probably wasn't a pretty sight should one of those maces collide with an unsuspecting face. The thought almost made him smirk.

He soon lost interest in the trap though, as he turned left and looked at the collapsed hall in front of him. A small fire made that the hall was relatively well lit, short as it was. That was something he could easily fix should it be necessary. On closer inspection, he noticed that the shadows at the very end were deep and concealing enough for one such as himself even with the fire on. The shadowed area was small, little more than an alcove, but it would have to do for now. The vampire seated himself on a partially buried stone and leaned back against the dirt, his feet resting against the dirt on the other side and knees bend to make his long body fit. Closing his eyes he breathed in deeply, appreciative of the deep, earthen scent of the dirt that almost surrounded him now. Yes, he could rest here for a while. Should Lucien wish to visit him right now, it was in his best interest to at least wait until dusk. He really needed a few hours of sleep.

_

* * *

A/N: And another little note at the end. Gawd, when I started this, I had no idea that it took so much research, if you can call it that, was needed to at least display the world as it is in the game. It took me soooo long to get this finished. . Shame on me for being lazy. Anyways, I'll try to write new chapters as often as I can, but I'm a lazy girl. And scatterbrained. Not a good combination O_O. I hope the first chapter was interesting enough. Should you find anything wrong with my spelling or grammar, please tell me. English is not my native language and I don't have a beta reader (yet). Might be able to convince one of my friends though :3_

**Next chapter: Kamui travels to Cheydinhal to finally meet his new family members. Lucien has of course, already passed on that Kamui needs a few lessons in manners. That combined with a vampire who considers vampirism a gift and a Khajiit who doesn't like newbies will likely create some interesting moments ^^**


	3. Chapter 2 Welcome to the Family 1

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Oblivion is not made by me. I simply snatched the whole story and threw my own character in it to create a story for you all to read without me earning anything in the process. ^^'**

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Family (1)

Two guards stood silently at the West gate that gave entrance to the city of Cheydinhal, the moonlight reflecting on their polished armor. It was only just after midnight and both were prepared for a long, but boring night. The most they expected to happen were a few wolves drawn to the city because of the scent of food. They usually just turned around and left as soon as their eyes fell upon the walls and never really created any trouble. As such, the guards weren't really alert to their surroundings.

One of the two was a slightly older man with 3 large parallel scars running down his face. He turned to his significantly younger companion. "Seguri, I'll be right back. If I don't relieve myself soon I will explode and, by the nine, that will not be a pretty sight. Call if anything happens."

"Sure thing Falced" the youngster replied with a grin and waved the veteran off as he marched towards the trees behind the stables. "Can't stop the problems that come with age right?"

Falced snorted audibly and shook his fist at Seguri. "Blasted whippersnapper. Just try saying that to my face when I get back."

The young guard laughed loudly at the remark and turned his attention, or at least part of it, back to the road. Making fun of the old veteran was really the only way to make his shift seem less boring. He just couldn't understand why the gates had to be guarded at night. It wasn't like a bunch of animals could open the gates. If a few bandits got the clever idea to ransack a large city, the gate could be barred from the inside. Problem solved, no need to stand guard anymore. Instead they could be send out to do better things. Like, actually hunt down those damned bandits that were roaming around in the country. Seguri let out a sigh. That wasn't likely to happen anytime soon, but what else was the purpose of learning how to fight and wear armor if you never actually got to fight? He hadn't signed up to stand guard all day, or night.

Footsteps on the road ahead of him drew Seguri from his silent complaining. He straightened his pose to hopefully look more professional and imposing. For a moment he wondered if he should call Falced, but decided against it. It was but one traveler and he was a trained swordsman. He could handle this on his own. With a hand on the hilt of his weapon. The guard stepped forward and blocked the traveler's path as he stepped into the light cast by a nearby fire.

"You're out late sir" Seguri said calmly as he observed the traveler. It was a young man, about his own age though quite a bit taller. He was dressed in simple but fine clothes. A dark shirt with long sleeves, a belt with several small pouches and black leather pants tugged into a pair of strong leather boots. The black cloak pulled around him kept the cold at bay and almost hid the longsword strapped at the traveler's side. Seguri's eyes temporarily paused at the sword and then went back up to meet the man's face, shadowed by the hood he wore.

"What's your business in Cheydinhal at this hour," he asked. The answer came in a smooth and cultured voice.

"I wish to visit some family of mine and sell a few things I picked up during my travels, sir. Is there a problem with that?"

As he said this, Seguri noticed the bag the man carried over his shoulder. It looked heavy. Probably full with loot from the ruins. He saw no need to question the rather polite traveler any further. The guard stepped back and pushed one of the large doors open until the man could get inside the city.

"Obey the laws and there will be no problems. You can stay the night in the Newlands lodge or the Cheydinhal bridge inn if you don't feel like waking your family. Both are close to the gate. Enjoy your stay sir."

"Thank you. I appreciate the help." The traveler stepped through the opening as the guard went back to his post.

"One more thing."

Seguri turned around curiously, but willing to help should the traveler have any questions. His eyes widened in surprise as he stared straight into a pair of glowing red eyes. He wanted to cry a warning to Falced, but it never left his mouth. A shudder ran along his spine when the creature smirked, the dim light of the moon and fire reflecting upon his white fangs.

"You have not seen me."

The guard found himself opening his mouth at the order the vampire gave him, his mind slowly falling into the monster's control. He wanted to look away from those feral, hypnotic eyes, but his body refused to obey him. It was like staring into the fires of Oblivion itself. The vampire repeated his order, a bit harsher and commanding this time and slowly, Seguri found himself repeating the sentence in a monotone voice, though he frantically tried to resist.

"I…have not….seen you."

The vampire immediately turned his back on the guard and closed the heavy door behind him without a single sound. Seguri turned back to the road, his encounter with the vampire already forgotten. Falced returned a minute later, a very relieved expression on his face.

"I think I should cut down on the ale before my shifts," he said grinning, earning him a laugh from the youngster. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"The usual Falced. Nothing happened. Nothing at all."

-0-o-0-o-0-

Kamui stepped through the city with large, confident strides, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any activity. It wouldn't do to get caught on the streets now. After all, he was a stranger. The guards patrolling didn't know his face and would thus conclude he had only just arrived. Bribery and persuasion could only get him so far. Not to mention that it took quite a bit of concentration to bend someone's mind to his will. The stronger the mind, the longer it took and the higher the chance of being discovered in the process. He'd only done so with the young guard at the gate because he hadn't seemed like a very strong willed person. It had been a bit of a gamble, but then again whenever the vampire gambled, he was usually right. One of the perks of living a long life. People became open books.

He reached the abandoned house without any real problems. Only once did he have to hide himself within the shadows of a nearby building to let a patrolling guard pass him by. For a being that lived most of his life in the shadows, that could hardly be called an effort. Keeping his senses alert for any other guards, Kamui looked at the boarded up door in front of him. This could be a problem. He let a slender hand trace the wood and narrowed his eyes when he found out that the door was in fact, not boarded at all. It sure looked convincing though. Even he, with his enhanced eyesight, had almost missed the thin slits in the wood that showed where one piece ended and the other began. The vampire tried to open the door, only to find it locked and he neither had the key to the building. Nor did he have any lockpicks. Just great. Kamui sighed as he let a hand travel through his dark brown hair. He could just break the door, but he had the feeling that the assassins hiding in their Sanctuary below would not appreciate that. The windows above weren't an option either. Unlike the door, they really were boarded shut. There were plenty of cracks and small openings though. That was really all he needed to enter a building if he set his mind to it and this was one of the buildings he wished to enter. Closing his eyes, Kamui called upon his ability to shapeshift. Ever so slowly his body started to change. Thin wisps of fog came from his body which gradually became larger and thicker until the vampire's entire body had changed into a thick white fog. It slipped through the small openings and into the house. There it reformed itself to the way it had been before. He may not be a fan of turning his body into smoke but it certainly had its uses in moments like these.

Kamui made his way straight towards the basement, ignoring all the battered furniture that laid strewn about inside the abandoned house. There he found the broken wall with a small tunnel that led to a large stone door. It was decorated with a skull, a black hand and several human beings worshipping a woman. At least he assumed them to be humans. They were little more than silhouettes without any distinguishable features. He placed a hand on the stone and slowly moved it across the rough surface. It was old and sturdy. Possibly enhanced with magic to make it even stronger. So this was the door Lucien had told him about. The memory of their second encounter made a light grin curl his lips. The Speaker had foolishly approached him long before dusk. Unlike their previous meeting, Kamui had allowed himself to slip into a somewhat deeper sleep and thus it took him a while to fully awaken. During that moment, he had attacked Lucien out of a reflex, which had almost cost the Imperial an arm. Lucien had only managed to avoid this and counter attack due to sharp reflexes of his own. The vampire would have to pay him back somehow for the stab in his left eye. It was almost like the Speaker was intent on finding a way to permanently harm him and took every opportunity to bury his blasted silver dagger in his body. Bastard.

"What is the color of night?" The hoarse voice interrupted his thoughts and Kamui lifted his head. Pulling his hand away from the handle, he stepped back a little so he once again looked at the whole door and not just a small piece of it. After a few moments he answered in the way specified by Lucien.

"Sanguine, my brother."

With the deep rumble of stone moving against stone, the door opened for the vampire and revealed a large room at the end of a small, stone hallway. At the end he could see several people walking around but they turned their heads when the sound of the door opening reached them. One Argonian woman with small, decorated spikes on her head, stepped towards the hallway with her reptilian eyes fixed on him. She stopped just before entering the hallway and waited there. The stone door closed behind him as Kamui entered the Sanctuary. He walked towards the Argonian whom he assumed to be the leader of sorts. As he walked, Kamui heard the same voice as before welcoming him home. He ignored it completely.

"Greetings brother, greetings. I am Ocheeva, mistress of this Sanctuary. Lucien has…told me all about you. I welcome you to the Dark Brotherhood," the Argonian spoke in the raspy, reptilian voice of her kind as he got closer. A light smirk tugged at his lips at the slight hesitation in Ocheeva's words when she spoke of Lucien. He highly suspected that it was anything but positive considering blood, his blood, had spilled twice already in two very short meetings.

Ocheeva continued calmly, having missed the subtle grin playing along Kamui's mouth. "You stand now in our Sanctuary. May it serve as your new home, a place of comfort and security whenever the need arises. I do hope you will follow the tenets while you are here though. You do not want to incur the wrath of Sithis upon breaking them. I trust Lucien has already told you what they are." How subtle. Instead of simply asking him not to insult the Night Mother and Sithis, as he had done before. She simply reminded him to heed the tenets. The vampire gave a small, barely visible nod to ensure her that he did indeed know the tenets. No need to inform her that he would have great difficulty in not breaking them.

"Good, I expected nothing less. When you are ready for work, go speak with Vicente Valtieri. He handles all assignments for new family members."Again Kamui gave a light nod and was about to walk away when the argonian suddenly thrust a bundle of black clothes into his hands. "Before you go, please accept this gift from your new family. A unique set of armor, lighter than normal leather and black as the Void. Why don't you try it on to see if it fits. You can change in the Living Quarters through the door on the right. The Training area is to the left and my chambers as well as Vicente's are down the hall behind me."

The vampire looked at the armor in his hands. From what he could see, it was the same kind of armor as all the assassin were wearing. It would protect him a little in battles while also allowing him to move freely. It might just be useful to him, even if he usually avoided head on confrontations with his enemies. He turned his gaze to Ocheeva and then to the doors. With a shrug Kamui walked towards the Living Quarters to change into the shrouded armor. The Argonian woman smiled at him and walked towards her own rooms. She truly hoped that her new brother would fit in alright. Lucien had already warned her that he had some big problems, especially in the social area.

Antoinetta Marie watched as her newest brother, Kamui she believed his name was, went into the Living Quarters after receiving his shrouded armor from Ocheeva. Most likely to try it on. She still remembered getting her own after Lucien had taken her from the streets and given her a family. She would be eternally grateful to him for that and would in turn work her butt of to force him to take note of her. A gleeful smile appeared on her face as she walked towards the Living Quarters. It was her duty as future mistress of the Sanctuary to know her underlings and make a good impression on them.

"Antoinetta, wait for him to finish getting dressed before you push him in a corner with your enthusiasm."

The Breton stuck her tongue out at Teinaava who was sitting on his favorite chair, his nose in his books as always.

"I'm just going to welcome him and ask him if he needs anything. He might be hungry after his travels after all. " She smiled warmly and entered the Living Quarters, missing the look of disgust that crossed the Argonian's face.

"Poor brother, not even here for 10 minutes and immediately confronted with Antoinetta's cooking," Teinaava muttered softly to himself, glad that the Breton in question couldn't hear him. She'd force him to eat a plate if she had.

Antoinetta walked through the stone hallway that led to the Living Quarters, only stopping to scratch Schemer behind his ears. The scruffy rat squeaked happily from the attention and scurried after her as she continued. She froze up when she rounded the corner and saw the vampire. He had knelt down on the stone floor and was working on buckling up his boots, his back turned to her. A look of shock crossed her face at the sight before her. A dozen or so slim but long scars, paler than the pearly skin around it, marred a perfectly sculpted back. Those couldn't be scars left by a whip, could it. To leave scars like that he must've been hit very hard and often. What kind of past could he possibly have had, to have scars like that?

"Is there something wrong?"

The voice snapped her from her surprise and her cheeks colored a bright red from embarrassment. She had been staring at his back. So much for good first impressions. In an attempt to compose herself, Antoinetta cleared her throat and put on her best welcoming smile. It wasn't really all that different from her usual smiles though.

"Ah, I'm sorry for staring. I didn't bother you with it right? Oh, I do hope I didn't. I'd feel awful if I made you feel uncomfortable so soon after you finally got here."

Kamui shook his head a little and started to put his cuirass on. "I don't mind. You're far from the first lady to stare at me like that. Quite frankly, I've grown used to it."

A sigh of relief escaped Antoinetta until she realized what he had said, albeit indirectly and she colored red again. She had most definitely not been staring at him because of his looks. He may look good and had this strange, mysterious air around him but he could never win from Lucien. Not in a thousand years! To say he was used to being stared at. Talk about confident in your looks. She almost snapped at him, but decided against it. The Breton crossed her arms angrily and watched as the vampire focused on trying to work out how to tie his shrouded armor together. A look of frustration momentarily flashed on his face and it soothed her anger towards him a bit, knowing all too well how difficult it was to get the armor on correctly for the first time. The amount of leather straps and buckles could be a pain. Antoinetta did a step forward, intent on helping him out but the icy glare she received from Kamui made her decide against it. Not just cocky but proud too huh? Vampires! At least Vicente was more understanding than this guy. She was about to turn around and leave him alone when her eye caught something odd. While working on the leather straps, his hair had shifted and now exposed the back of his neck, showing a strange symbol. From the looks of it, it was a burn but there was no way that a simple burn would leave such a strange scar. It looked more like a someone branded him, though she had no knowledge of anything like it. If she had to name it, it looked somewhat like how a child would draw a chair, but had forgotten to add the back leg with a chain around it in a circle. As she watched the strange symbol, her curiosity got the better of her.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, what is that burn on your neck?"

A heavy silence followed her question and Antoinetta immediately regretted asking it. She couldn't see the vampire's face but the way his shoulders tensed, she doubted that he was very happy with her asking. He slowly lifted a hand and placed it over his neck, covering the mark. The Breton knew she should probably tell him that he didn't have to answer if he didn't want to. The words however, wouldn't leave her mouth, causing the unnerving silence to continue. As the seconds passed, her curiosity grew. He obviously didn't want to talk about it, else he would've done so by now.

"It…is not important. I do not wish to talk about it and I suggest you never to bring it up again. Ever." His voice was calm as he spoke, though it had a chilly edge to it. The vampire turned his head to look her directly in the eyes. His own were blazing with a silent rage though his expression was a neutral mask. "Understood?"

The combination of that practically emotionless face, the chill in his voice and the feral eyes, especially those eyes, made the Breton shudder in….fear? She had no other word for it. It was like she was staring into the eyes of a predator. A murderous one and she could very well end up being his prey. Antoinetta swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and nodded meekly.

"Y-yeah. I apologize. Didn't know you would get angry. Please, don't let it bother you. My brothers and sisters.. they always say I talk too much. I really didn't mean anything with my questions," she said quickly.

"Angry?" As he said this, the anger faded from his eyes and he actually smiled at her. It would've been a beautiful smile were it not for the two very sharp and very lethal fangs that were now showing. That and the fact that his smile didn't reach his eyes. "No, I'm not angry. Not at you at least. I just…don't like recalling or talking about, my past," he spoke in a silky voice.

"Oh. That's great! I mean…the you not being angry at part me of course. Not the thing about your past. Sounds painful. Ah, I guess I should get going. It was good to finally meet you."

She hurried away from the strange vampire, cheeks slightly red from embarrassment . Just her luck to ask a new brother something he didn't like to recall. He probably thought her to be an idiot now. But Antoinetta was still curious, even after his 'friendly request' not to bring it up again. Ok, so she had agreed to that, but he had said nothing about not talking about it with the others. A mischievous smile curled her lips. If he didn't want to talk, she'd go and do some digging. He was her brother now and she had every right to know his past. The Breton nodded to herself, content with her plan. She would however need an accomplice. Someone who might know a little bit already. Lucien was out of the question of course. He didn't visit the Sanctuary often enough, nor was he the type to go snooping around in someone's background. That pretty much left Ocheeva, for the Speaker always spoke to her about business. Oh how she couldn't wait until that position was hers. That would come in due time though. If she said it was for Kamui's own wellbeing, Antoinetta was sure that the Argonian executioner would help her. She was just that kind of person.

-0-o-0-o-0-

Kamui watched the Breton hurry away and let the friendly smile drop from his face. That was one person he'd try to avoid whenever he was in the Sanctuary. Any more of that and he might not be able to refrain from breaking the tenets. To think they would already become a bother to him and that while he had only spoken to two assassins so far, not counting Lucien. At least she was rather naïve and he an accomplished liar. He pinched the bridge of his nose and pushed himself up from the floor. This was going to be a long night if all the other members of the Brotherhood that used this Sanctuary were as talkative. Talkative assassins that treated each other as family. It almost sounded like a bad joke. To think they were even trying to treat _him_ as family. What were they thinking, assuming Kamui wanted to be part of it? He didn't need any family. Not anymore. His sole reason for being here was because Lucien had intrigued him, and by extension the Dark Brotherhood. Something he was starting to regret. There was one good thing about his current situation though. The armor they had given him was of very good quality and didn't impend any of his movements. Its dark color would aid him in hiding within the shadows. All in all, he was quite content with it.

Picking up the belt with the numerous pouches and his longsword, he strapped them around him. The clothes he had worn before had been stuffed inside the bag which had already been filled with things the vampire had picked up since leaving Fort Alessia. Generally worthless things. A few pelts and Welkynd stones. Just in case the guard had questioned his story. He watched the bag for a moment and decided to leave it next to the pillar it was laying against. With his gloved hands clasped behind his back, Kamui walked back towards the entrance hall. He still had to find this Vicente character and tell Ocheeva that the armor fit correctly.

"I see you survived Antoinetta."

Kamui turned his head to the hooded Argonian as he closed the doors behind him.

"Yes, although she did surprise me. She's quite….the character."

The Argonian let out an amused laugh. "That she is, brother. That she is. Rest assured, she is a fine assassin despite what her personality suggests. Avoid her cooking though. One could create a very potent poison out of that without having to add nightshade." His reptilian eyes blinked in a friendly way before he continued. "Welcome to our little family, brother. May you find yourself at home here in the loving embrace of our Lady the Night Mother."

Kamui inclined his head and continued towards the hallway while Teinaava continued reading his book. Compared to his meeting with Antoinetta, this had gone a lot smoother. That gave him at least a little bit of hope that the Sanctuary wasn't filled with disappointments. When he rounded the corner he found himself looking at the back of a Bosmer arguing with a large, heavily armored orc about the use of stealth in assassination contracts. Somewhat intrigued by the fact that an orc of all beings was a member of the Dark Brotherhood, Kamui crossed his arms and leaned against the wall to follow their argument.

"But why sister? Why should anyone bother with all the sneaking and skulking?"

"My dear Gogron. You are a life-taker for the Dark Brotherhood. Our very existence relies on shadow and deception. Do you not value our secrets?"

"Yes, yes, of course I value our secrets, and I've never betrayed them! But using stealth to kill….It's just so…weak."

"But brother, what of the contracts that require subtlety! You must at least strive to earn the bonuses that are offered."

"Bonuses?" The orc laughed out loud as he said this. "Useless, I say! Gold and magical trinkets are no substitute for the freedom to slaughter anyone I please, at any time!"

"Oh Gorgon!" The Bosmer couldn't contain a giggle at his words. "Your methods may be crude, but your heart is always in the right place."

At this point the orc, Gogron, noticed him leaning against the wall and a broad grin spread across his face. This caused the Bosmer to turn around as well, curious as to who could be standing behind her. She too smiled at the vampire as she introduced herself.

"Warmest welcomes to you. I am Telaendril. Wood Elf and loyal daughter to Sithis. I hope you find our Sanctuary to your liking."

Kamui had no time to respond, for the next thing he knew, two very large, green and muscled arms wrapped around him and _squeezed_ in the most unbearable bearhug he could've imagined. A groan of pain escaped him. But it went unheard as it was drowned out by the very audible 'cracks' of his spine and several ribs giving way to the brutish strength of the orc. A searing pain shot through the vampire's body, even more so when the air from one of his lungs got sucked elsewhere in his body. Obviously one of his broken ribs had punctured it. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from making any sound as the orc finally put him down again. Luckily his spine was the first thing his body fixed so he didn't end up falling flat on his face because of paralyzed legs. The vampire wrapped an arm around his broken chest and coughed up the blood that had started gathering in lungs. He fixed a murderous glare on Gogron as he waited for his ribs to repair themselves. Tenets or not, he was going to rip that guy apart!

"GOGRON!" Telaendril shouted angrily as she stepped towards the healing vampire to see if he was alright. "You know Ocheeva told you not to hug him!"

The orc grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Ah yes…about that. Lucien pretty much gave me the ok to do so. In fact, I think he practically ordered me to give our new brother a big, welcome to the family, hug. So I was just following orders haha."

The Bosmer frowned at the orc and turned her attention back to Kamui. His ribs seemed to be almost fixed. The one that had threatened to tear a hole in his brand new shrouded armor had already disappeared. "Your regeneration is very impressive, even for a vampire." Surprise was clear in her voice.

"See? He will be alright. Welcome to the family brother!"

Gogron gave the slightly buckled over vampire a friendly pat on the back and walked off. Kamui watched him go through half closed eyes. His anger towards the orc was not gone, but from a murderous rage it had gone down to a mild anger coming from being unpleasantly surprised. His anger towards someone else had gone up though. Lucien. That bastard! Now he was sure that the Speaker was purposely looking for ways to permanently hurt him or at least humiliate him. May Vaermina twist his dreams to everlasting nightmares, may Dagon rain disaster upon disaster upon his head and may Sheogorath madden his mind! A light smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, his mental tirade dying down a little. _Well played Lucien, well played. _The man knew how to play his cards well. He could grow to respect that in the Imperial. After putting the infuriating mortal back on his place on the food chain of course. The vampire wasn't one to take a blow to his pride lightly, nor was he the type to ignore a challenge.

Kamui straightened himself and lightly pushed the helping hands of the Bosmer to the side. He carefully bended his body to put some strain on his chest and only received a dull pain. Content, he nodded to himself and continued down the hallway towards Vicente's quarters. Idly he counted the amount of times he had received some pretty painful injuries ever since meeting Lucien. Stabbed in the heart with a silver blade by the Speaker, his left eye gauged out by that very same person and his ribs and spine snapped like twigs by Gogron moments ago. Such a wonderful, friendly and inviting Brotherhood. If things continued like this, he'd end up becoming nothing more but target practice, while Kamui himself would be unable to pay them back in kind as long as he obeyed the 5 tenets. Never dishonor the Night Mother, never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. Never steal from a Dark Brother or Sister, and never kill a Dark Brother or Sister. Breaking any of the tenets would mean invoking the wrath of Sithis. Kamui was a bit skeptical about this so called wrath but for now, he had no intentions of receiving it.

_A/N: Decided to cut this chapter in 2 different parts, so Kamui's meeting with Vicente and M'raaj-dar will have to wait till next chapter.^^ Many thanks to my (very strict) beta reader and the reviewers! Didn't know that getting them could make one so giddy and eager to continue writing. Hope you all like this chapter! Review if you did….and also review if you didn't (do say why you didn't like it though! Might get me to improve)._


	4. Chapter 3 Welcome to the Family 2

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Oblivion. Wish I did though.**

Chapter 3: Welcome to the Family (2)

* * *

Opening a large set of double doors, the vampire entered what he assumed to be Vicente's rooms. He let his eyes wander through the room. It was nothing special. A few cupboards, a desk, some chests to store items and a simple wooden table. His eyes lingered on the large stone bed, an eyebrow raising in mild surprise. If there was anything uncomfortable in the world, it would most likely be that thing. Mentally shaking his head, Kamui turned his attention to the room's occupant. His eyes widened a fraction and he had to refrain from inhaling sharply. High cheekbones, shallow cheeks and pale red eyes. A vampire. The kind he had been exterminating so they couldn't pass the disease the humans had called Porphyric Hemophilia to anyone else. To stop them from spreading like cockroaches that dared call themselves children of the night.

"Warmest greetings to you," Vicente said, tone friendly, oblivious of how close his new brother was to ripping his head off. "I see you are wearing the shrouded armor Ocheeva has given you. Splendid. I am Vicente Valtiery. I provide assignments for all new family members. Please do not let my appearance….unnerve you. The needs and Tenets of the Dark Brotherhood come before my own needs as a vampire as I hope they will come before your own."

"Don't."

"Hm?" The Breton vampire blinked curiously at Kamui. "I beg your pardon? Don't? Don't do what, dear Brother? I'm afraid I don't understand."

Kamui walked towards one of the empty chairs and sat down, his eyes fixed on the man. A violent light made the red eyes flare up, making it seem like they were glowing with an inner fire. His movements however, were far from violent. Silent, smooth and graceful. He rested his elbows on the wooden table and pressed his fingertips together.

"Don't compare yourself to me. It's an insult. An insult towards me and my fellow brethren" he said slowly, his voice cold yet strangely devoid of emotion.

Vicente frowned a little, seating himself on the other chair in his room. "I'm afraid I do not understand what you mean. Are we not kin, you and I?"

The vampire's eyes narrowed dangerously at these words and it took a little while before he answered. "We most definitely are not the same. I already told you, what you said is a grave insult. Do _not_ test my patience."

The frown on his forehead had deepened considerably while Kamui had been talking. His voice still lacked any real emotion. If anything, it sounded more annoyed and detached than anything else. However, Vicente was sure that the…being in front of him was angry. The reason for that though, eluded him. All he had really done was welcome his new brother and request that his fellow vampire would put the tenets before himself.

"If I have insulted you with my words, I apologize for that was not my intention. I simply wished to welcome you to our family. What you said however, intrigues me. To me, you are clearly a vampire, yet you claim to be different than me. Would you care to elaborate on that?"

Kamui leaned back in his seat at the question, a thoughtful expression crossing his features. Personally he would love nothing more but to cut the thing in front of him to bits. Every second spend talking to one of these disease ridden pieces of filth was a wasted one. Even if he had an infinite amount of seconds left in his life. They were an abomination to his race. Although, he could not deny that Vicente had made an honest request. That combined with the fact he couldn't rid himself of the Breton vampire, actually made him consider giving the man an answer. He shifted his body to a more comfortable position and then tapped the table with his finger. Considering his options. Kamui didn't want to reveal much of his past with anyone, and Vicente was included in that. Especially Vicente. Vampires grown from the disease could not be trusted with the whole truth of their roots. They would forsake any promise to keep it a secret and spread it. Of that, he had no doubts. He let out a small sigh and started talking in a soft, but steady voice. It was nigh impossible to catch the carefully hidden disdain in the vampire's voice.

"Imagine vampirism to be a large tree. Strong, healthy and with many branches. It produces many seeds with the potential to grow in equally large trees, though slightly different at the same time. If given the chance these new trees could overtake the forest it stands in and destroy it completely. For this reason all those seeds are destroyed before they can grow and bare fruit themselves. Unfortunately, the gardeners watching over the tree missed one single seed. It started growing, until it became too large to simply cut it down. The gardeners had failed their job, but that doesn't mean they're not any less dedicated to decreasing the damage done by this new tree. In fact one could say they are even more devoted to their work now than ever before."

Suddenly, Kamui reached out and grabbed the collar of Vicente's shirt. He dragged the Breton towards him over the table, his voice but a mere whisper in his ear as Kamui continued.

"Your _disease_, Vicente, is that metaphorical tree. I'm sure you've already figured out by now that I happen to be one of those gardeners I spoke off. Do I still have to tell you why I am so disgusted by your kind? Your very existence is an insult to ours. Every step you take, every movement you make is another blow to our pride. In the past we have made several attempts to introduce your kind to our ranks. However, whatever trust we showed you was betrayed time and time again. So 'excuse' me if I do not enjoy being associated with your kind."

His hand relaxed, releasing the dark fabric of Vicente's shirt. Pushing him back into his chair. He leaned back himself as well, hand lightly rubbing the leather of his pants as though to clean a smudge from the dark glove. A slender eyebrow was raised as Kamui glared at the Breton, daring him to question either his words or his actions. Though it seemed that the assassin had enough insight and didn't bite. Both remained silent, one calmly waiting for the other to speak, the other straightening his outfit and mulling over what he had just heard. After roughly a minute of silence, Vicente finally spoke up.

"I thank you for the insight you have given me, my Brother. I think I understand your reasoning somewhat better now. However, since this organization has not been set up for members to talk about their botanical skills, let us return to business, shall we?" He didn't wait for an answer to his question. "Since you are new here, I shall elaborate on how we work here. You receive your contracts from me, at least for now. A contract is a pact one enters with the Dark Brotherhood. They provide us with the gold, and we remove someone from existence. A contract is fulfilled by a skilled assassin such as yourself, who keeps the Dark Brotherhood's end of the bargain. So it has always been. While carrying out a contract you may have the opportunity to earn a bonus if specific parameters are met."

Kamui let out a light sigh while Vicente spoke. Perfect, a lecture. If he wanted one he could've just gone to the Arcane University and ask one of the higher ranking members about necromancy. That might even be more interesting than this since it could very well turn into a long discussion. The vampire filed the idle thought away with a mental smirk. He had to remember that the next time he found himself at the University. It could be fun to see those high and mighty mages struggle to find a viable answer to his words. He turned his attention back to the Breton who was looking at him with a rather expectant expression. Ah yes, bonuses. He remembered that blasted orc, Gogron, discussing them with Telaendril. Gold and magical items. Kamui had no need for either of them since he had plenty of both.

"I suppose those conditions are set by the client?" he asked, more to humor Vicente than for his own curiosity.

"Indeed they are. Try to honor those requests whenever possible. After all, the Dark Brotherhood's reputation has been built on providing… good service. Any Brother or Sister who can complete a contract while fulfilling a specific request will receive a valuable bonus, oftentimes a valuable magic item. Let's begin shall we?"

Vicente reached to several documents laying on one of the shelves of his cupboard. Pulling one towards him, he laid it on the table and tapped it with his index finger.

"I'm not sure how you feel about pirates, but you've got to kill one. A captain, in fact. On his ship. Surrounded by his crew. Interested?"

Kamui shook his head before he answered, "Though the contract sounds interesting enough, I don't wish to start just yet. Perhaps on a later day, once I've gotten used to the Sanctuary and its…..inhabitants."

A look of disappointment shortly crossed Vicente's face, though he hid it well. "Pity. I was eager to see how you would fare on your first assignment. However, all thing considered I'm not surprised. The contract will still be here when you are ready."

The vampire pushed himself up from the wooden chair and walked towards the heavy double doors leading back to the Sanctuary. Kamui could feel the Breton's eyes on his back as he walked the short distance. Laying a hand on the dark door, he turned his head just enough for him to be able to glance at the executioner. "Speak about this conversation with anyone else and you shall wish you were still mortal, for then you would've at least been able to pass on."

Vicente couldn't help but frown at the threat. The tenets didn't prevent someone from uttering threats, but one would still have to break them to fulfill one. Somehow he had the feeling that his newest brother couldn't care less. It made Kamui a dangerous addition to the family. Possibly a liability. For now, he would comply and watch the other vampire's movements.

"If you want me to keep our conversation between the two of us, you could simply ask me and I would give you my word."

His words were answered with a snort followed shortly with the sound of the double doors closing heavily.

Kamui stepped briskly through the damp corridors. To think that that disease ridden mongrel dared to suggest he trust Vicente to keep the conversation silent with just his word. He was not fond of making mistakes. He was even less fond of making the same mistake twice. Those that became vampires through the disease could not be trusted. It was simple as that. Fear and threats were all that could keep them in line, followed by examples. If there was any worth in keeping them alive that is. Usually there wasn't, but something about Vicente made him somewhat partial to keeping him alive. It likely was the calm demeanor the Breton had displayed and the attempt at being polite. As long as Vicente didn't press his luck or tried prying in his past, Kamui decided that he would refrain from actively trying to kill him.

Finding himself in the main room once again, Kamui glanced around him until his eyes settled on the door leading to the Training Room. It was the only room he had yet to enter. With a shrug he walked towards it and stepped inside. Immediately he noticed a drop in temperature. Someone had been throwing ice spells around. That someone appeared to be a Khajiit who was preparing to launch another attack on a wooden dummy. A dummy which had clearly been suffering under the cat's attacks for quite a while now. The vampire ignored the mage and took the Training room in. It was made from the same grayish stone as the rest of the Sanctuary with several pillars to hold the weight of the ceiling and the earth and building above. The only real difference with the rest were the practice dummies and straw targets. They all showed clear signs of being used, though none as clear as one of the wooden dummies on his left. Massive cuts ran deep in the wood to the point that it almost fell apart. That was most likely Gogron's dummy. That orc's axe was really the only thing that could leave marks like that without the weapon itself suffering too much.

"Ah, If it isn't the newest member of the family."

Kamui turned his head to the source of that rough voice, unsurprised to see that the Khajiit had noticed his presence in the room. They were after all, assassins. They made it their business to sneak up on people without being sneaked upon themselves. Expecting another heartfelt welcome to the Brotherhood, the vampire was quite surprised to hear quite the opposite.

"Let's get one thing straight - the Tenets prevent me from killing you. But I don't have to like you. I'll sell you equipment, but only because Ocheeva is making me. This family doesn't need any... outsiders."

A chuckle escaped Kamui. Well, it seemed like not all of them were very welcoming and warm people when it came to their 'family'. He considered that strange amongst assassins anyway. To him it was somewhat reassuring that there was at least one who was at least wary towards newcomers.

"Well, that makes two of us I suppose."

It was a simple answer and he didn't mean anything with it. Just stating the obvious in his opinion. However, the Kjahiit seemed to take offense to his words and growled at him just as Kamui turned his back. The vampire stopped and glared at the hostile cat, a frown clearly visible on his features. He did not like being threatened or challenged. He almost always ended up killing those who thought of doing either to him. The only reason he would ever allow someone to walk away unscathed after threatening him, was when he had a reason not to kill them. In this case, the Tenets. Kamui was the first to break the little staring contest that had started between the two. He did not feel like putting in the effort to win something so childish. Especially in his current mood. The combination of multiple unpleasant surprises had made it rather sour. With an indignant huff the vampire walked towards the double doors leading back to the Sanctuary. That was until his enhanced hearing caught several, rather insulting words, muttered by the Khajiit behind him.

"Foul-smelling ape…"

Kamui stopped dead in his tracks. It was one thing to be distrustful towards a newcomer in an organization like this. It was something else to be completely insulting and disrespectful. Especially if said newcomer was him.

"Would you care…to repeat what you just said. I believe my ears are playing tricks on me."

M'raaj-Dar blinked his amber colored eyes a bit at the guy's words. Well that was not something he had expected. He hadn't thought that the man would hear him. Then again, he was a vampire and had keener hearing than humans. Not that he would mind repeating it of course. So long as the vampire understood that he did not want him here.

"I said 'foul-smelling ape'. Got a problem with that?"

One moment he was glaring holes in the back of Kamui's back, the next M'raaj-Dar suddenly found himself pressed against a nearby wall, his feet several inches above the stone floor and staring down into a pair of angry, ruby red eyes with a powerful arm closing off his windpipe. The Khajiit clawed at the arm holding him up in an attempt to force the vampire to release him. Though his claws did get through the shrouded armor after several swipes and found and cut the flesh underneath, the arm didn't move.

"As a matter of fact, I do have a problem with being insulted."

M'raaj-Dar struggled to get free, already starting to feel light headed from the lack of air. His condition was great. He could run for hours on end and hardly break a sweat. However, he was a cat and avoided water. As such he had never really trained holding his breath for longer periods of time. For a few seconds the arm pressing against his neck loosened up just enough for the Khajiit to gasp for air. Then it was pressed back with the exact same force as before. The blasted vampire wasn't out to kill him. He was merely waiting for an apology. By Sithis, he'd rather die than giving in! He had his pride and refused to apologize to a new guy with an authority problem. With a snarl M'raaj-Dar swiped his claw towards the vampire's face, intent on leaving some marks there. Kamui leaned back ever so slightly and avoided the swipe without easing his hold. The smug expression that answered his attack, made M'raaj-Dar furious. To hell with this guy. He'd been the one who attacked first anyway. This could definitely be justified as self-defense. The Khajiit gathered his magicka stores and released it in the form of a powerful fireball which he aimed at the vampire's face from point blank range.

Kamui had but a fraction of a second to react, but that was all he needed when he saw the fire jump from the Khajiit's claws towards his face. He released the overgrown housecat and jumped backwards before leaping to the side. The ball of fire sailed past him and instead hit Gogron's practice dummy. It immediately went up in flames and in seconds, it was reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. The vampire glanced over his shoulder to the destruction the cat had caused. So much for the tenets. That attack had been flung at him with the intent to kill. Even if it wasn't able to end his life, it would most certainly have been a pain to heal. Kamui fixed his glare back to the Khajiit who was rubbing his bruised neck. Using fire against him. He wasn't going to let that housecat off as easily now. The vampire let out a snarl and leaped forward. His fist missed the furred creature and instead plunged into the stone wall where it left quite an impression. Not about to admire his handiwork, Kamui quickly ducked to avoid another blast of fire, which harmlessly hit a pillar behind him.

"What is going on in h-? By Sithis! Cease this immediately, both of you!"

Neither of the two fighters paid attention to Ocheeva, who had gone to investigate the noise their fight created. Noticing this, the Argonian turned around and headed back to the Sanctuary to get some reinforcements. Kamui and M'raaj-Dar didn't even notice that she left, one to busy avoiding fire, the other using his agility as best he could to avoid the monstrous strength of the undead. The Khajiit knew he was lucky in a way. There was little room to evade for his opponent. A smirk curled the edges of his feline mouth when one of his flames left a bright red scorch on the vampire's pale skin. His smirk faded quickly though. His short feeling of victory had made his reaction a second to slow and the vampire had noticed this. M'raaj-Dar groaned in pain when a fist covered in black leather made contact with his abdomen. The amount of strength in the attack forced him back and made him lose his footing. The Khajiit landed in a furry, inelegant heap against one of the stone walls. Another groan escaped him as he pulled himself to his feet. By Sithis. Even a minotaur's punch was more gentle! M'raaj-Dar glared at the vampire who was approaching him tauntingly slowly, an infuriating smirk clearly visible on his features.

Were he not so fixed on making the Khajiit beg forgiveness, Kamui was sure he would've been at least mildly amused from his little fight with the cat. With a smirk he slowly made his way to his fallen opponent. "What's the matter kitty?" he hissed. Oh, he was going to enjoy pulling screams from him. The vicious sparkle in the Khajiit's eyes told him that he had to be at least a little careful, lest he receives another scorch mark to his face. Downed magicka reserves weren't yet fully depleted and until then the assassin would be quite capable of flinging another fireball at his face, something he seemed to be enjoying far too much in the vampire's opinion. Seeing that the cat was focusing to gather his remaining magicka, Kamui prepared to step to the side. However, it never hit him. A scaly hand pushed the claw with the gathering flames to the side. At the same time, the vampire felt two pairs of strong arms stop his approach to the fallen Khajiit. The vampire let an angry hiss slip between his teeth as the bulky orc and Breton vampire forcibly pushed him back, away from his opponent. He stepped back, away from the two and straightened his shrouded armor with an indignant huff.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?" he asked, voice surprisingly calm.

Ocheeva turned her eyes to him, fury clearly visible in her reptilian hues. "By Sithis, that should be my line, Kamui. What's the meaning of this fight? And don't even try passing it off as training exercise. I can see the difference between training and an attempt to slice each other's throats."

Kamui raised a slender eyebrow at her words. "While your observation isn't far off in his case, I wasn't out to kill him. If I were, you could've started scraping him from the walls." He leered at the sputtering Khajiit, though he kept his attention on the Argonian who was now standing between the two with her arms crossed.

"If you weren't trying to kill your brother, then pray tell, what were you trying to do?"

"Teach him some manners. I do not take well to being insulted and then receiving a blast of fire in my face instead of an apology."

Ocheeva was astonished. These two had been trying to tear each other apart, simply because M'raaj-Dar had refused to apologize after something he always did to the new family members? She sighed heavily. Truthfully, she should've been expecting this. The Khajiit was short tempered and distrusting to the young members. The vampire had a clear problem with authority and could hardly be called mentally stable. Just what had the Night Mother been thinking, inviting someone like him in the family. Could it possibly have something to do with the rumors of a traitor amongst the family. An unpleasant chill ran down the Argonian's spine at the equally unpleasant thought. Drastic times required drastic measures. She took a good look at Kamui. He stood tall with an air of superiority and chronic boredom. Like barely anything in the world could spark interest in the undead. '_Sithis, please give me the strength to believe in the Night Mother's decision,_' she silently prayed. Straightening her back she broke the heavy silence that had fallen over the Training room.

"Since I should've seen this confrontation between the two of you coming, I am as much to blame as the two of you. Do note that this is the only warning I shall give you two and only because none of the Tenets were actually broken. To ensure that something like this doesn't happen again, I forbid the both of you to fight, be it verbally or physically." Seeing a rather ominous smirk grow on Kamui's face, Ocheeva quickly added, "Or mentally." The smirk faltered instantly. "Am I understood, M'raaj-Dar, Kamui."

She looked at each one in turn, waiting for their answer. It took a little while before the Khajiit nodded grudgingly while glaring daggers at his newest brother. Kamui however, didn't give a single sign of acknowledgement. He simply clasped his hands behind his back and walked over to the double doors leading back to the Sanctuary. He paused in the opening and turned around a little bit.

"I do not have the time to indulge myself in petty squabbles like these. I shall heed your words as long as he does the same."

With that, he stepped out of the Training room and closed the doors behind him. As he walked towards the door that would lead him back to Cheydinhall, Kamui touched the burn on his cheek. He winced lightly at the pang of pain. There was one thing his little fight with that M'raaj-Dar had showed him. He'd grown lax with the use of his own magic, especially in his own protection against fire. That likely came from having fought mostly against those disease ridden mongrels with fangs of late. They preferred lightning and ice over fire, simply because they were more vulnerable to the latter than him. Kamui glanced behind him as he placed a hand on the stone door. Should he leave them a little message? The vampire shook his head. No need to. He'd be back in a week or so anyway. The door closed heavily behind him.

* * *

_A/N:Yay! Second part of Welcome to the Family :D. Sorry it took a while. RL stress, writers block, slow beta reader and having to get used to working from 9 to 5 don't mix well together._

_Kamui: You're horribly inconsistent with your chapters. If things continue like this, it will take years before we're finally done._

_x.x Oh shut up you! I promise I'll try update the story more often from here on ^-^ Hope you enjoyed the chapter and remember, reviewers get free cyber cookies and hugs!_


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